Fighter jet hub on Kola Peninsula wins glory for war efforts
The village that houses pilots and personnel for the strategically important airbase in Monchegorsk has been awarded status as a "courageous air force settlement."
The settlement that is known as "27 km" is home to many of the best pilots on the Kola Peninsula. It is located between the cities of Monchegorsk and Olenegorsk and has the full name "27 Kilometres of Railway Monchegorsk - Olenya."
About 2,000 people live in the settlement that was established in the early 1940s in connection with the building of the Monchegorsk airbase.
The village is now honoured by regional authorities. On February 20 this year, Murmansk Governor Andrei Chibis signed the decree that awards "27 km" the status as a "courageous air force settlement."
The air base played a key role during the WW2. But it has also made played a role in the war in Ukraine, Governor Chibis emphasises.
"This is not only a sign of respect for past achievements, but also a reminder of the heroism and self-sacrifice that has always been and always will be an integral part of the spirit of northerners. The population of this territory demonstrates this today too, by its participation in the special military operation," Chibis says in a statement.
In the past two years, the "27 km" has also attracted investments in local healthcare and education. A new health clinic was opened in 2022 and in 2024 the local school was renovated and a training center opened.
The Monchegorsk airbase today houses the 98th Independent Guards Mixed Aviation Regiment. It is considered the main fighter jet force on the Kola Peninsula.
The regiment is part of the Northern Fleet's 45th Air Force and Air Defence Army and includes two air wings, one that protects the airspace of the Kola Peninsula and one that serves remote Arctic airbases, including the archipelagos of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land.
The latter includes MiG-31BM aircraft operating in the High Arctic and along the Northern Sea Route.
The re-organisation of the Russian military districts announced in early 2024 may lead to the transfer of the 98th Aviation Regiment from the Northern Fleet to the Leningrad Military District.
The air base in Monchegorsk is home to MiG-29K, Su-33 and Su-30SM, as well as the Su-34 aircraft.
The 2,400 metre long runway in Monchegorsk is located only about 20 km from Olenya, the base that houses strategic bombers, among them the Tu-95. Olenya is frequently used in the Russian terror raids against Ukrainian towns and civilian infrastructure.
